The International Rally of the Lakes due to take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend in Killarney has been cancelled due to the foot and mouth crisis.
“While the disappointment of the organisers is shared by competitors, sponsors and Motorsport Ireland, we all realise that our primary responsibility has to be to the national efforts to curtail the spread of the virus. In particular to the protection of the landowners along the rally route who have facilitated rallying over the years, and whose livelihoods would be put at unacceptable risk by the influx of large numbers of spectators on to the rally stages,” the statement from the Killarney and District Motor Club read.
This is the second round of the Toshiba Tarmac Championship to have been cancelled this year while the Circuit of Ireland at Easter has also been called off. The focus now shifts to the Shell Donegal International Rally in mid June in the hope that the latter half of the International series may be salvaged.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
